Dreaded OPC Shrine Demolished

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Members of the Odua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, were in tears as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, ordered for the destruction of their shrine located under the Opebi link bridge in Ikeja, Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that CP Edgal led a team of detectives to the shrine yesterday. He said that the operators of the shrine carried out trials by proxy and tortured those arrested.

According to the CP, going by the items found in the shrine, some of the victims were tortured to force them to own up to particular crimes they were being tried for. He said that three persons had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the activities around the shrine, while three POS machines allegedly being used to extort money from victims were also recovered.

Aside the three POS machines that were recovered by the police, other items found at the shrine included mobile telephone sets and ATM cards belonging to some victims.

Addressing newsmen at the scene, CP Edgal said that some officials of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Security and Safety Corp (LSNSC) had informed the Command of the suspicious movement of people in and out of the shrine. He said that based on the strength of the information, he directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ikeja Division to investigate the matter.

Edgal said: “Based on the directive, a team of undercover policemen led by the DPO mounted surveillance around the area. So, yesterday officials of the Neighbourhood Security Safety Corps saw a man who being dragged into the shrine. They were attracted to the place by the screaming which they heard coming from the victim. They quickly informed the DPO who moved his men to the scene where three persons were arrested and the victim rescued.

“In as much as we believe in community policing and community partnership, let me sound a note of warning to any group of persons who may want to take laws into their hands that the Command will deal decisively with members of such groups.

“Members of OPC have been helpful to the Command in the past. We see them as partners. But as you can see, some group of persons under the guise of OPC has erected an office under the Opebi link bridge where they take people to try them by proxy and torture. They also have a shrine here where they take victims to. I believe that they force victims to take oath. We will not tolerate this in any part of the state. Three persons have been arrested; one of the victims was freed. We are investigating and all those behind these barbaric acts will soon be rounded up. When they are arrested they will be made to face the wrath of the law”

The Lagos State Police boss also said that those arrested were being questioned at the Command Headquarters and that at the end of investigations the command will be able to unravel the activities that went on around the area. He queried the rationale behind the move by the suspected OPC members saying that nobody or group of persons is allowed by law to detain a person.

“As a law abiding citizen you are only allowed to arrest and after which the suspect is handed over to the police who have the constitutional responsibility to investigate and after which charge the suspect to court. What is POS machine doing inside their office? Investigations have revealed that some robbers go about with POS machine. They make their victims to transfer money to their account at gun point. We are going to be thorough in our investigations. We won’t allow any miscreant to run amok in Lagos. I have also ordered that the shrine and the office be demolished” he added.

Some mechanics who operated under the Opebi link bridge said that the operators of the shrine do arrest and torture their victims openly.

One of the mechanics who does not wish to be named said that the operators do open up case files for complainants and after which the persons being accused are dragged before the shrine. According to him, they were adjudged guilty even before trial began going by the way they were tortured.